Is a subcompact under 25hp enough power?

[Kioti Sal]

My personal opinion is this. I don't want to spend my money, let alone yours. But better to have a slightly undersized tractor AND a good zero turn, then a bigger machine with no zero turn.
Because you may be pulling trees, brush hogging, using a blading, etc several times a year. But you mow 25 (or more) times a year and that's for the REST of your life.
You don't have to brush hog and you don't have to grade, but you always have to mow. My lawn looks better with a zero turn and it takes me less time to do so.

Not to mention, what if you are injured or sick. Does your spouse, partner, or neighbor have to do it for you? And more importantly, do you want that person using your $25k+ tractor to mow your lawn?

-Sal

 

[wawajake]

My personal opinion is this. I don't want to spend my money, let alone yours. But better to have a slightly undersized tractor AND a good zero turn, then a bigger machine with no zero turn.
Because you may be pulling trees, brush hogging, using a blading, etc several times a year. But you mow 25 (or more) times a year and that's for the REST of your life.
You don't have to brush hog and you don't have to grade, but you always have to mow. My lawn looks better with a zero turn and it takes me less time to do so.

Not to mention, what if you are injured or sick. Does your spouse, partner, or neighbor have to do it for you? And more importantly, do you want that person using your $25k+ tractor to mow your lawn?

-Sal

He can buy a rear mounted finish lawnmower for maybe $2500.... and all those other rear implements as budget allows, and only have one compact machine to maintain. And can just as easily teach his wife or family to use a tractor. My 12 yr old granddaughter is driving mine and looks forward to cutting the 3 and a half acres of lawn this summer. (With many objects to drive tight to. )

 

[OrangeRidge]

Is a subcompact under 25hp engine enough power to maintain a under 15 acre property where the tasks are mowing w/ mid mower, finish mower, brush hogging, stump grinding, hole digging, box blade and typical loader work?

I have owned a 35hp and 50hp so I'm a little uneasy getting a under 24hp.

Go mid sized . Small Kubota L model type . Forget BX : they're mowers really , and small at that . 15 acres is a fair old area to deal with .

 

[Reils49]

I’m running a BX2360 and use it for everything! I wouldn’t mind a bigger tractor, but I don’t need one.

In the past 15 years the town highway department has dropped close to 500 dump loads of dirt at my house. Everything was moved with the tractor, essentially like a dozer. I cut my own firewood every winter/spring and usually burn about 5-6 cord a year. I use my tractor and chains like a skidder. I can get more wood out dragging it than in the bucket. Both of those jobs are pretty heavy duty for a small tractor, but it’s a beast.

For more routine jobs I use it for plowing snow , moving firewood to the house, york raking the driveway and running a 4 foot brush hog.

My neighbor has the BX with the backhoe, and I borrowed it this summer to excavate my footing drainage.

So these little tractors are tough.

 

[TN8Man]

I don't think I have seen the OP list the number of acres he will be mowing rather he just stated a total of 15 acres. If he is mowing five and the other ten are wooded/house/structures or the inverse of that they requirement may/will change.

We must know the facts as the devel is in the details.

I currently have ~8 acres with ~5 that I mow but I'm going to be buying more property starting with ~4 acres and this is all wooded land that I will start working.

I did decide and purchased a 48hp TYM tractor to replace my NX.

 

[jrsavoie]

Is a subcompact under 25hp engine enough power to maintain a under 15 acre property where the tasks are mowing w/ mid mower, finish mower, brush hogging, stump grinding, hole digging, box blade and typical loader work?

I have owned a 35hp and 50hp so I'm a little uneasy getting a under 24hp.

No. These little things seem to be either under horsepowered for the size or oversized for the power.

The little loaders don't seem very heavy duty either.

 

[TN8Man]

I looked really hard at downsizing my tractor years ago on a 6 acre property. Liked the idea of the smaller 25HP tractor for working around the yard. I went over to my neighbor who was a lont time farmer and asked his honest opinion. He bascially said in a nice way that would not be a wise choice. He was right.

If you plan on keeping the bigger tractor and having this one as an extra, I say go for it. But if you are planning on getting rid of the big tractor to buy smaller, I think you will regret it.

Spot on. I'm replacing the bigger tractor.

 

[TN8Man]

My personal opinion is this. I don't want to spend my money, let alone yours. But better to have a slightly undersized tractor AND a good zero turn, then a bigger machine with no zero turn.
Because you may be pulling trees, brush hogging, using a blading, etc several times a year. But you mow 25 (or more) times a year and that's for the REST of your life.
You don't have to brush hog and you don't have to grade, but you always have to mow. My lawn looks better with a zero turn and it takes me less time to do so.

Not to mention, what if you are injured or sick. Does your spouse, partner, or neighbor have to do it for you? And more importantly, do you want that person using your $25k+ tractor to mow your lawn?

-Sal

I can't use a zero turn with the hills I have.

 

[Jdodson50]

Is a subcompact under 25hp engine enough power to maintain a under 15 acre property where the tasks are mowing w/ mid mower, finish mower, brush hogging, stump grinding, hole digging, box blade and typical loader work?

I have owned a 35hp and 50hp so I'm a little uneasy getting an under 24hp.

There will be some jobs where 50 hp will not big enough. In my experience 35 hp will hit the sweet spot. you will regret downsizing to 25 hp.

 

[Jons999]

I have a 21HP subcompact on a couple acres. Works fine 90% of the time but I find myself needing more lift capacity from the loader. I also don’t now with it because even being a subcompact it is heavy enough to damage the lawn in spring and fall. My recommendation would be a larger tractor for your loader, brush hog, stump grinding work etc, and spend a few thousand on a large lawn tractor or zero turn for the areas that are finish mowed.